Refrigerator evaporator and shelf structure



Aug. 14, 1956 F. B. ANDERSON REFRIGERATOR EVAPORATOR AND SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR. f2 akz/vrz a A/VQZKJO/V g- 1956 F. B. ANDERSON REFRIGERATOR EVAPORATOR AND SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR a a RE/VC'! 5 AA/DA'AS 0/v W I W? A rrox/vzys United States Patent REFRIGERATOR EVAPOR'ATOR AND SHELF STRUCTURE Application January 18, 1954, Serial No. 404,487 4 Claims. c1. 62-126) This invention relates to an improved combined evaporator and shelf assembly for refrigerator cabinets.

It is an object of this invention to provide an assembly of the above type wherein the'shelf is of open mesh wire construction and is slidably supported on the evaporator in a position to form in effect the bottom wallof the evaporator. The arrangement is such that the shelf supports articles within the cold zone of the evaporator while at the same time permits cooled air within the evaporator to pass relatively freely through the openings in the shelf to the interior of the cabinet.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shelf structure having relatively simple means at opposite side edges for slidably supporting the same on the evaporator. This means, as well as the foregoing and other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammaticfront elevational view of a combined evaporator and shelf assembly embodying the features of this invention;

, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the shelf structure;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view partly in section of the evaporator and shelf assembly;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 "of Figure 4. i

In Figure 1 of the drawings the numeral 10 designates a part of the liner of a refrigerator cabinet of any suitable type and the numeral 11 designates an evaporator of a refrigerating system, not shown. The liner 10 is open at the front and comprises a top wall 12, a bottom wall13, a rear wall 14 and side walls 15.

The evaporator 11 comprises a pair of generally L- shaped plates 16 and a length of refrigerant conducting tubing 17. The plates 16 extend along the opposite side walls of the liner with the upright flanges 18 thereof spaced laterally inwardly from the adjacent walls 15 and with the horizontal flanges 19 projecting toward one another. The flanges 19 extend parallel to one another in a common horizontal plane and the inner edges thereof are spaced from one another to provide'an opening 20 'therebetween of substantial width. The opposite ends of the evaporator plates are turned laterally outwardly to provide terminal flanges 21 which serve to reinforce the plates. The upright flanges 18 of the respective plates 16 are secured to the side walls 15 of the liner 10 by suitable fastener elements 22 and spacers 23 are provided on the fastener elements in positions to hold the upright flanges 18 in lateral spaced relationship to the adjacent side walls 15. I

The length of tubing 17 is coiled to provide a circuitous passage for the refrigerant and the coils have straight sections 24 which span thespace between the top edges of the upright flanges 18 of the evaporator Patented Aug. 14, 1956 plates 16. The straight sections 24 are connected by loop sections 25 which extend downwardly along the outer surfaces of the upright flanges 18 and are turned laterally inwardly to underlie the horizontal flanges 19 of the evaporator plates 16. The loop sections 25 are in surface to surface contact with the evaporator plates 16 and thereby provide the required heat transfer relationship between the plates and tubing.

The opening 20 at the bottom of the evaporator is bridged by a shelf 26 which is of open wire mesh construction to not only support articles within the cold zone defined by the evaporator but to also permit relatively free circulation of air between the cold zone and the storage area of the refrigerator cabinet. The shelf 26 is supported for sliding movement on the inner edge portions of the flanges 19 of the evaporator plates 16.

and for this purpose the inner edges of the flanges 19 are rolled or otherwise fashioned with enlargements 27 which are generally circular in cross section. More particularly, the inner edges of the flanges 19 are offset upwardly (Figure 3) to form guides extending lengthwise of the evaporator plates 16 and are then curled downwardly and outwardly 'to provide the enlargements 27.

The Wire shelf 26 has a border frame 28 comprising a front rail 29, a rear rail 30, and side rails 31 respectively connecting opposite ends of the front rail 29 to the corresponding ends of the rear rail 39. The rear rail 30 is offset is an upward direction with respect to the side rails 31 to provide a retainer for articles supported on the shelf 26 and the rear ends of the side rails 31 are turned upwardly to provide a continuation of the rear rail 36. The front rail 29 is also connected to the rear rail 30 by generally U-shaped wire bars 32 having the opposite ends respectively connected to the front rail 29 and the rear rail 39 at points spaced from each other lengthwise of the latter rails. The side rails 31 are connected at points spaced from each other lengthwise of the side rails by wire bars 33 crossing the bars 32 beneath the latter. The opposite end portions of the bars 33 are turned upwardly and then outwardly as at 34 for connection to the adjacent side rails 31 of the border frame In use the terminal portions 34 at opposite ends of the bars 33 respectively bridge the enlargements 27 at the inner edges of the flanges 19 and are secured to the top portions of the side rails 31 enabling the undersides of the rails 31 to slidably engage the respective flanges 19 at the laterally outer sides of the enlargements 27, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Also, the above structure provides a shelf wherein the bottomor article supporting surface is depressed somewhat relative the marginal portions of the shelf so that articles placed on the shelf are effectively held against displacement.

In the present instance, the shelf 26 is retained in assembled relationship with the evaporator plates 16 and for accomplishing this result a pair of retaining bars 35 are respectively provided at opposite sides of the shelf 26 in parallel relationship to the side rails 31 of the tively spaced below the side rails 31 of the frame '28 in positions to engage the undersides of the adjacent enlargernents 27 on the respective evaporator plates 16 to prevent upward displacement of the shelf 26 relative to the evaporator plates 16. The rear ends of the bars 35 are offset inwardly as at 36 and are turned upwardly for connection with the rear rail 30 of the frame 26. The front ends of the bars 35 are curved inwardly and upwardly as at 37 and are integrally joined at their upper ends to the front rail 29 of the border frame 28. Thus, the bars 35 respectively cooperate with the side rails 31 of the border frame 28 to form laterally outwardly opening "guides to: slidably receiving the adjacent enlargements 27 on the evaporator plates 16. Hence, the shelf 26 may be readilyslid along the evaporator plates through the open front side of the liner 10. i

Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that plates 41 are secured to the upright portions 18 of the evaporator plates 16 and project laterally inwardly in a common horizontal plane. The plates 41 are spaced above the horizontal portions 19 of the evaporator plates and below the upper extremities of the upright portions 18. The inner edges 42 of plates 41 are located approximately directly above the inner edges of the horizontal portions 19 and likewise extend in a fore and a ft direction relative to the liner. It will be appreciated that ice trays or food parcels may be supported upon the plates 41 as Well as upon the horizontal portions 19.

If desired, a wire basket 38 maybe supported within the refrigerator cabinet beneath the shelf 26. The basket 38 may be of any suitable construction having longitudi nally extending supports 39 at opposite sides for slidably engaging suitable guide rails 40 respectively secured to the inner surfaces of the side walls of the liner 10.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An evaporator and shelf assembly for a refrigerator cabinet having an inner liner open at the front and provided with top, bottom and side walls; comprising two separate horizontally spaced substantially L-shaped evaporator plates having their upright portions spaced from and secured to the side walls of said liner and having their horizontal portions projecting laterally inwardly from said upright portions in spaced relation to the bottom wall of said liner, the inner longitudinal edges of said horizontal portions being spaced apart to permit the flow of air vertically between said plates and extending in substantially parallel relation to each other fore and aft of said liner, said inner longitudinal edges being provided substantially throughout their length with rolled enlargements of substantially C-shape in cross section, a wire shelf for articles to be frozen bridging the space between said horizontal portions and having spaced apart crossing wires cooperating with said horizontal portions to define an apertured bottom for said evaporator through which air is free to flow vertically between said plates into and out of said evaporator, said shelf having vertically spaced substantially parallel side bars, the uppermost of said side bars being above and engaging 'said horizontal portions laterally outwardly from said enlargements, the lowermost of said side bars being beneath said enlargements and cooperating with the uppermost of said side bars to retain said shelf in assembled relation with said horizontal portion, and an evaporator coil having sections extending downwardly along the outersurfaces of said upright portions and inwardly along the bottom surfaces of said horizontal portions, the inwardly extending sections of said coil being connected by loops spaced laterally outwardly from said enlargements, said evaporator coil also having spaced apart sec'- tions bridging the space between said plates at the top of said upright portions in spaced relation to the top wall of said liner and defining anapertured top for said evaporator through which air is free to flow vertically betweensaid plates into and out of said evaporator.

2. An evaporator and shelf assembly for a refrigerator cabinet having an inner liner open at the front and provided with top, bottom and side walls; comprising two separate horizontally spaced substantially Lshapcd evaporator plates having their upright portions spaced from and secured to the side walls of said liner and having their horizontal portions projecting laterally inwardly from said upright portions in'sp'aced relation to the bottom wall of said liner, the inner longitudinal edges of saidhorizontal portions being spaced apart to permit,

the-flow of air vertically between saidplates and extending in substantially parallel relation to each other fore a'fi'd 51ft 'ofs'aiu liner, a Wife 'Sl'ilf for articles to be frozen bridging the space between 'said horizontal portions and having spaced apart crossing wires cooperating with said horizontal portions to define an apertured bottom for said evaporator through which air is free to fiow vertically between said plates info and out of said evaporator, said shelf haying Vrtic'allyspaced substantially parallel side bars, the upperniostof said "side bars being above and engaging said horizontal portions laterally outwardly flClTl said inner longitudinal edges, the lowermost of said side bars being beneath said inner longitudinal edges and cooperating with the uppermost of said sidebars to retain 's'aid' shel'f in ass'efnbled relation with 'said horizontal portions, and an evaporator coil having sections extending downwardly along the outer surfaces of said upright portions and inwardly along the bottom surfaces of said horizontal portions, the inwardly extending sections of said 'coil bein g ermeated by loops spaced laterally outwardly froin said inner-longitudinal edges, said evaporator coil also having spaced apart sections bridging the space between saidplates at the top of said upright portions in spaced relation to the top wall of said liner and defining an apertured top for said evaporator through which air is V freeto flow vertically between said plates into and t tm i ,sv e tv 3. An ev aporato r and shelf assembly for a refrigerator cabinet having an inner liner open at the front and provided with side walls, comprising separate laterally spaced, generally L-shaped evaporator plates having upright portions respectively secured to the inner surfaces of the opposite side walls of said liner and having horizontal portions projecting laterally inwardly from the bottoms of said upright portions in a common plane, the inner edges of said horizontal portions being spaced from one another, said horizontal portions having elongated enlargements at the inner edges thereof respectively proje cting above the top surfaces of said horizontal portions and extending arana to "each other fore and aft of said liner, a -"slid a l'alfi: wire shelf bridging the space between the inner edges of said horizontal portions and having a border fraineeomprising a front rail, a rear rail and side rails, said 'Shfilif cooperating with said horizontal portions to define the bottom of said evaporator and having laterally spaced bars extending from one side rail to the other, the extremities of said bars being secured to said side rails, additional laterally spaced bars extending in crossing relation to the first-mentioned bars having their extremities secured to said front "and rear rails re- 'spe'ctiv'ly, said bars cooperatin'g to'provide an open grid for stippor ting articles within said evaporator and also permitting the freeilow of air therethrough into 'and out or said anaest sia "side rails respectively slidably ehgagiii'gthetop"surfaces "ofsaid horizontal portions laterally butwa'rdly of said enlargements, said shelf having bars eirt e'ndingalongopposite sides thereof beneath said enlargements, {the last-mehtioned bars cooperating with said side rails to retain said shelf in position relative to Saki-plates, and an evaporator coil having sections extendingdownwardly along the outer surfaces of said upright :portions and inwardly along the bottom surfaces of said horizohtal poftibns, the-inwardly projecting parts o'fs'aidcoil having the ends'connected by loops which are spaced laterally outwardly from said enlargements, said evaporator coilliaving spaced apart straight sections bridging the space betwee'n said plates at the top of said upright pdrtioiis, said straight portions defining the top of said evapdrator and permitting the free flow of air through the spaces therebetween into and out of said evaporator.

4. The s tructure defined in claim 3 'in'cluding horizontal article supporting 'rnenibers projecting laterally inwardly from said upright portions, said article support- References Cited in the file of this patent ing members being spaced above said horizongal portions UNITED STATES PATENTS and below the upper extremities of said uprig t portions,

the inner edges of said article supporting members being 2,086,118 Chadwlck July 1937 located approximately directly above the enlargements 6 Hall July 1948,

f said horizontal portions 2,597,267 shoenlaker M y 20, 1952 2,637,180 Atchlson May 5, 1953 2,671,004 Chadwick Mar. 2, 1954 2,720,762 Schweller Oct. 18, 1955 

